How to Understand the Volumetrics Eating Plan

According to the Volumetrics Eating Plan, you can determine a food's energy density (ED) by dividing its calories by the food's gram weight (or portion size). Foods with a higher water content, such as grapes, leave you feeling more satisfied per calorie than foods with low water content, like raisins. Because of their lower ED, you can eat a serving of grapes than over four times larger than a serving of raisins containing the same amount of calories.

The Volumetrics Eating Plan classifies food into four different ED groups.

Group 1 includes very low ED foods that dieters can eat in large amounts and still expect to lose weight. These foods include vegetables that are low in starch, such as asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, cauliflower, spinach, sweet peppers, lettuce, wax beans, mushrooms, green beans, tomatoes and radishes. Nonfat milk and broth also fall into this group.

Group 2 is low ED foods. These include high-starch vegetables such as peas, potatoes, beets, lima beans, pinto beans, corn, carrots, pumpkin and squash. Bread, pasta and other grain-related foods are part of these groups as well. Dieters should have moderate (small portioned) amounts of these types of a food daily.

Group 3 contains medium ED foods like ground beef, roast beef, other non-lean meats, salad dressings, and dairy products such as ice cream and cheese. Dieters can enjoy these foods in small amounts on a weekly basis. Overindulgence is not conducive to weight loss.

Group 4 includes high ED foods like fried foods, butter, oil, potato chips, cookies, chocolate and other types of candy. Dieters should indulge their taste for these high-calorie foods only occasionally.

Best Bets

Fresh fruits, nonfat dairy products, lean meats, low-starch vegetables, seafood and whole grain foods are all good choices. Foods that are high in fiber and water content will help you eat more while still losing weight.

Restricted Foods

Technically, there are no restricted foods in the Volumetric Eating Plan, although Rolls highly recommends you avoid foods like banana chips, sun-dried fruits, and other dry foods like popcorn and crackers as well as snack foods like chips and pretzels because they're high in calories and not very filling in small quantities.